Mercedes C-class review: this, or a Jaguar XE?

The latest Mercedes C-class is designed to take the fight to the AudiA4 and BMW3-series. Mercedes has prioritised comfort over sporty handling, although the C-class hardly disgraces itself in the latter regard.

With a spacious and high-quality interior, a good standard specification and the option of some cutting edge safety equipment, Mercedes has left nothing to chance.

Space 7/10

Roomy in the front and a good boot, too

The C-class might be one of Mercedes' smaller saloons, but it still boasts a spacious interior. Particularly impressive is how wide the car feels inside, with plenty of elbow room for those in the front. There are also lots of cubby holes to store keys, phones and wallets.

Those in the rear seats aren’t quite as well catered for, with the sloping roofline making it slightly awkward to get in. Once on board there’s a decent amount of room, although anybody sitting in the middle will have to tolerate a hard and upright backrest, plus straddle their legs around a big lump in the floor (the same criticism can be levelled at most cars).

Being a saloon rather than a hatchback, the C-class’s boot is deep but not very tall. However, a large opening makes it easy to load.

Comfort 8/10

Diesel engines are a bit noisy, but it rides the bumps well

Confusingly, the Sport specification Mercedes C-class comes with comfort suspension; to get sport suspension you need to upgrade to the AMG Line spec.

Thankfully, all models are pretty good at soaking up bumps. Even on 18-inch wheels there's enough cushioning to give a reasonably smooth ride. Go for 17-inch wheels and it's better again, but for the best ride quality you'll need the optional Airmatic air suspension upgrade - if you can afford the extra £895, we recommend it.

The diesel engines are a bit noisy when you start them, which thanks to a very efficient stop/start system happens more often than you might expect. Once up to motorway cruising speeds, however, the engine clatter fades into the background, although as with most cars of this size, there is some tyre roar on coarse road surfaces.

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Dashboard layout 8/10

Complicated to learn but looks great

As with other Mercedes models, you control most of the C-class's functions through a central tablet-style screen using a rotary control, a touch pad and a series of buttons, which are all located by the gearstick, much like BMW's iDrive system. And like iDrive, the Mercedes setup takes a bit of time to learn. Thankfully Mercedes has also retained some shortcut buttons so that you can easily switch between the main functions.

The remainder of the dash is clearly laid out, and you can even specify a head-up display that projects your speed and any satnav instructions on to the windscreen to save you from looking away from the road.

Easy to drive 7/10

Go for the automatic gearbox

The Mercedes C-class's considerable dimensions mean it isn't especially easy to slip into narrow parking spaces, a point that’s exacerbated by the sloping boot. It's impossible to see where the where the rear of the car is when reversing (something Mercedes clearly realises, because it fits parking sensors as standard).

Fun to drive 7/10

Good steering and punchy engines

The C-class feels agile to drive, with excellent steering and little lean in corners, particularly if you go for sport or Airmatic suspension.

The high performance C63 AMG and C63 S versions of the C-class deliver the power of a supercar in a practical saloon body, and are a riot to drive - even more so, in fact, than the BMW M3 and Audi RS4.

The C220 diesel is the best seller, and with good reason. It's got enough power to make the C-class feel brisk, but is also economical.

At present, the only petrol-powered C-class is the C200. While quick enough, it lacks the diesel's strong surge of acceleration and sounds whiny when you rev it.

Reliability 8/10

Limited data, but previous model was excellent

The latest Mercedes C-class is too new to be included in reliability studies, but the previous model finished 12th out of 116 cars in the 2013 JD Power customer satisfaction survey, where Mercedes also performed well as a brand.

Mercedes also matches BMW in providing a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas Audi stops its cover after three years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first.

Fuel economy 9/10

Good considering the performance, but rivals are better still

At present, the C300 diesel hybrid is the most efficient C-class, returning 83.1mpg in the EU fuel economy test. However, in our experience real-world consumption isn’t quite as impressive, meaning that if fuel economy is top of your priorities you’ll be better off waiting for the plug-in hybrid model, or going for the 1.6-litre C200 Bluetec, which is significantly cheaper to buy and still returned 80.7mpg in the EU fuel economy test.

Also worth noting is that the C220 diesel is hardly what you’d call thirsty, considering the performance it offers.

Affordability 8/10

Resale values likely to be strong, but needs an entry-level model

The Mercedes C-class is priced in line with equivalent versions of the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series, although with no small-engined model available at present, its starting price of £26,855 looks slightly expensive.

Fortunately, the CO2 emissions are extremely competitive, which is good news for company car drivers.

Due to being such a desirable car, C-class resale values will be high, which in turn keeps leasing rates reasonably low.

Safety 8/10

Performed well in crash tests

The Mercedes C-class scored the maximum five-star rating when it was crash tested by the independent assessors at Euro NCAP, achieving almost identical scores for adult and child protection as rivals from Audi and BMW.

A warning system to tell you to take a break during a long drive comes as standard, as does a stability control system that helps you control the car if it skids.

Other safety options available include a Collision Prevention Assist Plus system that will brake the car automatically if it senses it is about to hit the vehicle in front, an alert to tell you if another car is in your blind spot, plus cameras that help you stay to in lane on the motorway.

Standard spec 9/10

Looks generous, but you can still spend a lot more

You might look at the basic SE specification of the C-class, see items such as a reversing camera, tablet-style screen and man-made leather trim, and think it offers everything you need. In reality, you still miss out on split-folding rear seats or satnav until you upgrade to Sport trim, which also comes with 17in alloy wheels, auto parking and heated seats.

AMG Line is the top specification at present, and includes 18in alloy wheels, sports seats that hold you tightly in place, a multi-function steering wheel and lowered sports suspension.

You can also spend a small fortune on options, some of which are usefully grouped into packages.

The verdict 8/10

In most regards, the Mercedes C-class is right up there with the best in its class, including the BMW 3-series. But if you don't require quite as much space, the Audi A3 saloon is worth a look too because it will be cheaper to run, while the Jaguar XE is more fun to drive, if not as comfortable.